Reaper (Dragon Prophecies Book 1)

by Hickory Mack

  Frost followed her gaze as she tracked the sun then spotted the red moon, hanging low in the sky. Everything was in the wrong spot.

  “Where the fuck are we?” she demanded.

  “I think they said we’d be coming out somewhere in Southwestern Texas,” Cross answered.

  “Oh gods,” she said, crossing her arms around her stomach and stepping away from the gate, her security team following her.

  “What is it?” Cross asked, looking concerned, but Frost knew exactly what bothered her. He sent her an image of Wren, and in the image, the spirit was rapidly moving away from her. Faster and further until she couldn’t see her anymore. She nodded in agreement with him.

  In the base, they’d traveled less than two miles using the elevators. On Earth, they’d put hundreds of miles between themselves and her future mate.

  Chapter 25

  “Come and find me,” Elsie breathed, gripping the pendant Wren had given her in one hand. She had to believe the spirit would be able to do as promised. And with how fast Wren could travel, she would come as soon as she realized Elsie wasn’t where she was supposed to be.

  Trucks roared to life, tearing Elsie away from her thoughts. They came pouring out of the hunters’ installation one at a time, each one currently stinking of diesel. They were hybrid vehicles. Once they were out in the Earth’s sun for a while, they would run on solar power, but until then, they used fossil fuels. Elsie took out her raven mask and pulled it over her face, blocking the fumes from her lungs, then she moved further away from the gate so it wouldn’t affect Frida.

  Grant had the audacity to follow them out and join her. There was a legitimate smile on his face, and an energy in his bearing that hadn’t been there before. The commander was excited to go get this fox. He stood next to Elsie, watching the trucks drive through. At least until Frost pushed his way between them, growling at the hunter until he took several steps to the side.

  The convoy moved through and down a pathway that had only recently been cleared. One truck was bigger than the rest, and it held an enclosed box on its bed. As it lurched over a bump that was quickly forming from the truck’s tires, Elsie heard the metallic rattle of chains from inside.

  “That’s what you’re going to put the fox into,” she guessed, and Grant nodded.

  “It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but the walls are thick. They’re a blend of three of the strongest metals in existence. Alone, they each have their strengths, but together, they’re unbreakable. Even by a fox,” he said confidently. “It also has a containment spell already built into it. We’re counting on you to put a pocket dimension in there, then trigger the spell.”

  Elsie watched the truck rumble away with her hands balled into fists. “Who created the containment spell?”

  “The same mages who tied you to that wolf,” Grant said nonchalantly. “Don’t worry, you’ll be able to trigger the spell. It was made with a reaper in mind.” The bastards hadn’t just hoped she’d give in and agree to work with them; they’d counted on it. They might come off as a huge bunch of idiots, but they were far more capable than they seemed.

  A truck with several demons contained in its cage rolled past. They didn’t react at all to the change in scenery or the sun shining in their eyes. The hair raised on Elsie’s arms. These demons were merely shells of themselves. There was nothing behind their eyes, no conscious mind left. These were bots, only capable of doing as they were told.

  Elsie was glad for her mask just then. She couldn’t contain the rage expressing itself on her face. Every moment that rolled by showed her some new atrocity, each more horrible than the last. The empty cages came next, and she frowned.

  “What are those for?” she demanded.

  “Cornick has wanted him for almost six years now, so we’ve put together an army to bring this creature in. Those are for the back-up ranks. You’ll be stopping in a nest near the demon’s location to get them,” Grant said. Somewhere out there were even more demons like these.

  “You’re planning to put them on the front lines, using them to tire the fox out?” she questioned.

  “That’s part of their purpose. They’ll provide some measure of protection for the squads that will be there. We have another layer of protection that I think may surprise you. You’ll just have to wait until the time comes before you can see what it is,” he told her, the hint of a smile still on his face. It gave Elsie the creeps.

  The trucks just kept coming until the huge warehouse space was nearly empty and tracks marred the previously flawless grass. Those who’d come out first were already en route to their destination. They’d already staged their convoy order from inside the warehouse, and everyone knew their role. Except for her.

  “Do you always ride in the back of the convoy during your missions?” she asked nonchalantly, but the quick look Grant cut in her direction told her he’d understood her meaning. She never would have commanded a mission from the rear, especially not one this large.

  “I’m merely supervising your departure. This isn’t my rodeo; it’s Cornick’s. I have nothing to do with any of this mess. My job is keeping that man in line so his little experiments don’t get the base burned to the ground. His job is research and development. Yours is playing fetch and acting as our personal doorwoman. We all have our roles to play,” he said, making a show of adjusting the cuff link on one of his sleeves.

  The final vehicle came out, another deuce and a half. It pulled to a stop several feet away so the fumes didn’t build up around the group just outside the gate.

  “That’s your ride,” Grant said. “It’ll just be you, your pets, and your security team. You’re getting the princess treatment for this mission, Commander. We wouldn’t want anything to upset our precious little asset.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Elsie interjected. “If I were holding someone powerful against their will, I’d do what I could to win them over to my side as well. What’s that called? Stockholm Syndrome? I’m sure it would be a lot easier for you if all those demons inexplicably fell in love with your staff. They’d be a lot easier to manipulate.”

  “We don’t need or want their love. That goes for you as well. All we require is your obedience, and we’ll get it by any means necessary. If I were you, I’d accept the little kindnesses you’re being offered right now. Cornick has a soft spot for you, but that can easily change if the approach of lavishing you with gifts proves not to work in our favor,” Grant warned.

  Noted. The suite, the sewing machine and cloth, allowing Frida inside of the installation, and a ride almost to herself were all considered gifts. To her, they were conveniences to make life slightly easier. If they pushed her too hard, she’d be able to live without them when she provoked them.

  “Have a productive journey, Commander,” Grant said, walking back toward the gate. Elsie was struck by the urge to close it, leaving him stranded, but that meant possibly inflicting him on the nearby demon town, and she wouldn’t wish his presence on anybody.

  She watched him walk into the hunter compound, then waited a couple of minutes to see if any more hunter goblins were going to be staying. When it was apparent there was nobody else, she raised her scythe and closed the gate.

  Elsie stared at the space where it had been for a long moment. Aside from the ruination of the foliage from the trucks, there was no physical trace the gate had ever been there. She couldn’t even feel the residual magic in the air. Whoever Muriel was, whether she was a biological sister or one of the magical creatures adopted and apprenticed by her family, she’d been talented.

  Turning to the huge truck she’d be spending the next several days in, she nodded at Cross then approached. It was painted a light tan to match the desert here in the South. The darn thing would stick out like a sore thumb when they made it in the North, though she wasn’t exactly sure how far they were going to have to go. These trucks had power and could get through anything. They’d make it to wherever they were heading.

  She
hopped up and over the tailgate, immediately grateful for the overhead canopy shading the truck bed. It was freaking hot outside. Frost and Frida jumped in behind her, and though the wolf was huge, there was still a comfortable amount of space left open. The trucks were built to carry twenty-four passengers, so they had plenty of room.

  Two men were already inside. Their rucksacks were piled in the front, and Elsie noted that the usually hard wooden benches had been replaced by more comfortable singular seating. She decided there was no way they’d outfitted this just for her. It must belong to someone else higher in rank. Frost bristled at the other two men, but he was overwhelmed with the decision of who to glare at when Cross and the other three joined them.

  Elsie set her bag with the rest and sat in one of the cushioned seats. There was a lever to recline it, so they’d be able to sleep as they traveled. Even the floor had been softened with a thick rubber pad. Compared to how the soldiers would be traveling, all crammed in together with barely any room to move, this was luxury.

  Frost lay in front of her while Frida curled up on her lap, the three of them staring at the six assigned to her. Elsie looked them over one at a time, examining the men deemed strong enough to protect her, but she knew that was a farce. These were the men deemed strong enough to slow her down if she decided to rebel. With the exception of Cross, they looked like a bunch of muscle bound idiots.

  Whoever had selected them had done a crappy job. They’d been selected for their physical strength, not for speed, dexterity, or power. Her eyes zeroed in on the youngest of the group, who was almost completely human. There was no fae in him at all, and he had just a trace of witch blood. The hunters must be getting desperate to recruit guys like this.

  “Let’s spare each other the small talk and niceties,” Elsie said after an extended staring contest with the man who stood out as the most experienced of the bunch. He was missing his left pinky finger and had multiple scars down his arm. Even the way he sat in his chair, nonchalant and ready to take a nap, gave him away.

  “Alright,” he said, his voice every bit as gritty as the rest of him.

  “You are to address me as Commander Chantraine. Nothing else will be tolerated. We are not friends. Do not touch me. Do not touch my wolf. Do not touch my cat. I will not be responsible for how either of them respond, and I will personally cut off whatever body part you touched me with. I don’t need to know your names. I can tell just by looking at you where you're ranked, what your specialities are, and why you were chosen.” She paused, looking them over. “Stay out of my way, leave me alone, and give me my privacy. If you do that, we’ll be just fine.”

  “That seems like a fun ‘getting to know each other’ type game,” Cross said, taking the seat next to her and completely ignoring the withering stares he received from both Elsie and Frost. He pointed to Fairbanks. “What’s his rank, specialty, and reason he was chosen?”

  “Fuck off,” Elsie muttered, leaning back in her chair. The guy with the missing pinky laughed and slapped his knee.

  “I like her.”

  “Come on, Commander. Who knows how long we’re going to spend together?” Cross cajoled.

  “He’s a geographer, which I find strange. There aren’t enough people in your specialty as it is. Squads are always trying to recruit them, so why would your squad give you up?” she questioned. ‘“You’re probably not a good geographer if they were willing to give you up for an undetermined amount of time. You’re a member of a mid-ranking squad and have no hope of ever making captain. You are intelligent enough not to blindly follow my orders, and that’s part of why you were chosen.”

  Everyone looked uncomfortable, and Fairbanks wouldn’t look at her. She’d hit the nail right on the head. Then mister one pinky laughed again. “Now me.”

  “You’re not in a squad anymore. I’m thinking you’re a retired officer with a long history on the field. Despite your looks, you were a field medic. Your hands give you away. You may have lost a finger, but there are no other battle scars on your hands; they’re clean. You battled when you had to, but it wasn’t your main purpose. You were chosen because you’ve seen it all, yet you’re not afraid of anything. Even a reaper,” Elsie said.

  “Lieutenant Colonel Hasprey, ma’am.” He grinned, not denying one thing she’d said.

  “We’re done with the party trick now? I’m not here to perform my little act for you,” Elsie grumbled.

  “Do me,” Cross challenged. Elsie raised an eyebrow at him and shook her head.

  “You’re not one of us. I don’t know why you’re here. You have no rank, and whether you have a specialty is not something I could guess. There’s no reason that stands out as to why you would be chosen to babysit a prisoner,” she said.

  “You’re not a prisoner. You’re a guest,” Hasprey told her. They’d fed this man a line to pull him out of retirement for this.

  “Maybe that’s what they told you,” Elsie replied. She stroked Frida’s long fur, scratching behind her ears. “The reality is, no reaper would be here voluntarily. I’m here because I’m being forced to be here.”

  The men looked uncomfortable then. They probably couldn’t imagine what their bosses could come up with to coerce someone like her into their service. She’d presented them with the moral challenge that the people they worked for sometimes did horrible things. These men were just soldiers. With the exception of Hasprey, none of them had ever done anything of note in their entire lives. They didn’t want to think about it, so they most likely wouldn’t. They’d rather continue to believe the lie. It was easier than changing their beliefs, after all.

  Elsie pulled her feet up and sat cross-legged in the seat. Resting her hands on her knees, she closed her eyes. She’d slept long enough; it was time to start practicing some magic.

  Throughout the day, she stopped time and even reversed it twice, though it was far more difficult than any time reversal she’d done before. She’d had to drag six men, a wolf, and an alebrije with her. Only Cross, Hasprey, and the animals noticed anything, but the men simply gave her curious looks and said nothing, leaving the reaper to her shenanigans.

  Hours passed before their first break. The trucks rolled to a stop, and everyone piled out, stretching and walking around, taking bathroom breaks and the like. Frost took off into the desert as soon as his paws hit the ground. All that lying still after his long sleep had driven him crazy. Frida chirped and stayed at Elsie’s side.

  She wandered a short ways away from the noise of the soldiers, the staff in her hand. Cross and another of the men she hadn’t bothered learning the name of followed, but she ignored them completely. Once she reached a place where the stink of the trucks hadn’t permeated, she grounded herself, reaching into her magic and letting it flow through her body like a current of power.

  Letting some of that power kiss the staff, she changed it into a stave, making sure to give the staff enough beauty to make the weapon happy. With her own twist, of course. The wood was a deep brown, with tendrils of gold twisting around it like vines. Little leaves were etched throughout, her thoughts of Wren manifesting itself in the stave’s creation.

  Elsie’s body had over a decade of muscle memory built inside of it, so all she had to do was let it remember. She closed her eyes and moved. First, an offensive strike, twirling the staff and letting it flow into a sweep of her imagined opponent’s legs.

  With her eyes closed, she saw the world through intuition and magic. Everything around her was lit up by the bright magical currents within. Even out here in the desert, green earth magic was in almost everything, but now and then, bright splashes of watery blue could be seen. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a flash of red fire magic, but she ignored it. A little fire skink was nothing to be distracted by.

  She continued practicing, her movements coming faster and stronger as her muscles warmed and the kinks worked themselves out. Maybe she wasn’t the huntress she used to be. She was older and out of practice, and truth be told, she’d r
ather be lazy as fuck than work her ass off. But part of being older went hand in hand with the fact that she was wiser now. If she put work into it, she could be even better than she’d once been, and she’d have a better mind for how to use that power intelligently.

  Sweat rolled down the sides of her face, and when she licked her lips, she tasted salt, but she didn’t stop. Elsie finished the offensive and moved into defensive positions. She ducked and whirled, blocked and parried, and for a brief moment, the Staff of Sanaia felt lighter in her hands. Elsie gave a little gasp as her eyes popped open, and the weight of the weapon returned to normal. She’d lost the moment.

  “Fuck,” she muttered, noticing that Frost had returned. Frida lay between his paws, watching over her. Cross stood a fair distance away, studying her.

  “Do you always practice so hard?” he called out. Elsie looked over and scowled at him. The wolf’s mind pushed down on hers, showing her a shallow stream nearby. A place to wash up, since it didn’t appear the hunters were setting up showers, and she was the only person practicing in this heat.

  “Take me there,” she said, and he quickly got to his feet, turning to lead the way. Frida scrambled up with a disgruntled yowl and scampered after him, batting at his tail as it gently swayed from side to side. Elsie didn’t kid herself. He wasn’t wagging his tail. Tail wagging was definitely beneath him.

  “Where are we going?” Cross asked, following again.

  “To bathe,” she said, laughing when she noticed the crunch of his boots faltering. “Maybe you should stay here.”

  There was a pause before his steps resumed, along with a second set. The soldier was following too. “Go back, Miller,” Cross said, and Elsie tossed a look back at them, an eyebrow raised. “She doesn’t need an audience, and I can guard her on my own.”

  “Yes, sir,” Miller replied. Elsie shook her head. He didn’t need to sound so damned disappointed. Cross had done the guy a favor. She’d have to kill him if she spotted him perving on her. Comfortably bathing among her squad was different than some creep spying on her when he thought she wasn’t looking.